Publisher: 1st February 2022 by Harlequin Australia, HQ & MIRA
Pages: 400 pages
Genre: historical fiction, romance
My Rating: 5 crowns
Synopsis:
1941. A young German-Australian soldier meets a passionate Cretan girl and together they are caught up in guerrilla warfare during the brutal Nazi invasion of Crete. A heartfelt, sweeping saga of World War II, from the peaceful farmlands of NSW to the Mediterranean's glittering, dangerous shores, for readers of Fiona McIntosh, Nicole Alexander and Natasha Lester.
1939: Australian-born Carl Smith loves his country and despises fascism, but he never meant to go to war. He is training to be a doctor and wants to protect lives, not take them. But if enlisting is the only way he can save his German-born father, Dr Louis Schmidt, from an internment camp, he will.
1941: Athena Papandrakis has grown up on the island of Crete, swimming in jewelled waters and exploring ancient ruins. Now her home is under threat and she is ready to fight to defend it from the hated Nazi invaders, just as her ancestors sought to protect their island home in the past.
When Carl arrives in Crete with Allied Forces soldiers evacuated from the Greek mainland, he and Athena are intoxicated by each other. Carl is not the man her traditional parents would have chosen for their daughter, however, and hiding the secret of his German heritage from Athena could further threaten their love.
Decisions must be made when they find themselves in an intense final stand against the Nazis as the Allied Forces retreat and the Cretan peasants are forced into guerrilla warfare. For Carl and Athena, it becomes a desperate quest for survival ... and love, loyalty and trust will fight a battle to the last.
My Thoughts
A new book by Mary-Anne O’Connor is always cause for celebration - her books are phenomenal - and I am happy to report that Never to Surrender may well be my all time favourite of hers - it’s that good! Mary-Anne is indisputably an exceptional writer of historical fiction with each novel earmarking her as one of Australia’s foremost writers of her genre. Reading one of her books is much like Athena in her latest tale feels … ‘the wondrous thrill it gave her to be here, the dreamy pleasure of being immersed in the past.’ That truly is a gift.
‘Wherever you are, and whatever happens, I’ll be with you, Carl. Right here.’ He tapped at his chest. ‘You take home with you, always.’
Where do I start? Never to Surrender is a sweeping saga that takes readers from the peaceful pastures of NSW to the shores of Crete as WWII rages. The characters are highly engaging from the eldest to the youngest, from the funniest to the most sadistic! One of the premier aspects of this book is the philosophy from the gentle spirits of Carl and his father Louis - I very much enjoyed their father/son discussions and shared thoughts. Then there are the injustices of war - from internment camps in Australia, to the Cretan village massacres. Mary-Anne brings balance to these horrors through two souls meeting and the depth of their connection in such extenuating circumstances being so real and heartfelt. Then there is Crete itself. There have been a number of books written of this period and place of late but I think Mary-Anne has done a stellar job with her interpretation. From the history of the Minoans and Knossos, to the culture, to the very landscape itself - she takes you on a vivid and inspired journey.
‘Carl gripped the gun handle, trying not to think about the individual ideology of each man they targeted.’
Never to Surrender is a truly powerful and mesmerising story. The factual events (read the Author’s Notes) are so cleverly combined with Mary-Anne’s own fictional contributions. The melding of fact and fiction being seamless. A tale of family, a tale that touches on what it is to be human with results that are sure to leave their indelible impression on you.
‘Even if they succeed in battle, we’ll never truly surrender and we’ll never give up until they are gone once more.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
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